


Tell me why

by makingitwork



Category: Criminal Minds
Genre: Break Up, Cheating, Happy Ending, M/M, Tears, Work
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-04-20
Updated: 2014-04-20
Packaged: 2018-01-20 03:20:35
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,631
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1494646
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/makingitwork/pseuds/makingitwork
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Morgan cheats on Spencer, only to get caught. What does it mean? How do they fix it?</p>
            </blockquote>





	Tell me why

"Derek?" Spencer whispered, standing frozen in the doorway of his apartment. Of HIS apartment, that Derek hasn't even officially moved into yet, but there he is, dick buried deep inside some guys ass, and it doesn't help that the guy looks like a more gorgeous version of Spencer. He's lying naked on the couch, with long brown hair down to his shoulders and he's more muscled that Spencer can over hope to be. Reid swallows thickly, glad that about two days ago he got his hair cut to a boy band style, because he doesn't want to look like that thing.

Derek has the decency to look horrified "Shit, Spencer- stop, this isn't what it looks like!" He pulls out of the stranger, who whines wantonly at the loss and Spencer wonders if he has ever sounded like that.

"I know," Reid says quietly, his voice calm because he refuses to break down here. "I understand, it isn't what it looks like." He nods, because it's all he can do, and steps back on shaky legs "I wasn't meant to be back till 5, right? My bad," His voice breaks, and the stranger looks up then, pity obvious in his eyes, but Spencer doesn't blame him. In fact, he almost wants to thank him, better Morgan cheat on him now, so Spencer could see what he was, then later, when it would be even harder to leave "I think this is...I mean, I'm not great at these things," he gives a nervous laugh "But I think we're broken up now, alright?"

"Spencer please," Derek cries breathlessly, eyes rimmed red "Honestly this was...it was all a giant mistake and-"

"It was, wasn't it?" Spencer laughed, cruelly. "Us? We were just a giant mistake, I..." he looked around Morgan to wave at the stranger on his couch "Nice to meet you," and he turns and is already speeding away in his car by the time Morgan has pulled on clothes and rushed outside in a desperate attempt to stop him.

...  
...  
...

It's horrible, for Morgan, walking into work on Monday. Rossi glares at him, and Garcia can't look at him, though she forces polite conversation. JJ 'accidently' spills coffee on his desk and Morgan doesn't know how they all found out. In fact, he's a little miffed that Spencer went around telling everyone, way to smear someone's reputation, great pay back. 

He walks into the conference room late, and they're all there, Hotch frowns at him, but doesn't comment. Spencer is sat closely beside Emily, who's rubbing his arm reassuringly, absentmindedly. It's awkward for a long time because JJ can't find it in herself to continue with details from the case. Morgan snaps "That's it!" He cried, slamming his hands onto the table, and everyone but Hotch and Rossi jump "Alright Spencer, fine, I cheated on you! It happened, but that was personal, and you shouldn't have told everyone, it could impair out ability to work and-"

"Hey!" Emily jumped in angrily "Don't yell at him, he wasn't going to tell us anything."

"That's right." Hotch said firmly "He came into the office to do some work and we were all so surprised to see him there that we asked exactly what was wrong."

"Right," Morgan rolled his eyes, irritated "And why the hell were you so surprised to see him? He comes into the office most Saturdays anyway,"

Garcia gasped and JJ turned away from him, Spencer looked down and Rossi looked at Morgan as though he'd never seen him before. Hotch spoke up "It was his birthday, Morgan. His 28th, that's why we were so surprised." The team leader tried to keep the emotion from his voice, but it didn't work. 

It was as though Morgan had been punched right in the stomach, he'd cheated on Reid...on his Reid, on his birthday? In his apartment? On his couch? With his lookalike? He was scum. He was the bottom of the barrel scum "Spencer..." he whispered "I'm so sorry, I didn't know-"

"Morgan," Hotch cut him off "Maybe you should go home, take a few days?"

"Hotch," Morgan whispered, standing up "Reid, come on, let's talk this out."

"I'd really rather not." came the high pitched reply, and he leaned closer to Emily

"Reid! We can work this out-"

"No we can't." Spencer smiled sadly "I know you're sorry, and it's fine. Maybe we can be friends eventually, but right now, I don't want to be alone with you. I feel like..." his eyes darted around the room, and his cheeks flushed as he realised everyone was watching him "You remember Harper Lee? The girl who...who told me that Alexa had a crush on me and I just had to meet her behind the bike shed? But the good thing about her was..." he shook his head "Her deceit only lasted 10 minutes, yours lasted...5 years."

"Reid..."

"Just one question," Spencer whispered, running his fingers through his short hair "How many times? In the 5 years we were together, how many times?" 

Morgan could feel all eyes on him, and he wasn't going to sugar coat it, for once, he was going to be totally honest "27 times,"

The gasp that went around the room, even from Hotch, was a sharp slap in the face. 

"W-with..." Spencer took a deep ragged breath "With that same guy?" Morgan's nod was enough to send Spencer into tears. Choking sounds that made JJ and Garcia's eyes water "I-I'm sorry, Hotch," he whispered "I think...I uh..." he shook his head "I can work on the geographical profile from here." Hotch nodded kindly

"Okay, Prentiss, you stay here with Reid, alright?" she nodded eagerly "Everyone else, wheels up in 10 minutes,"

...  
...  
...

3 MONTHS LATER

"Congratulations," Hotch lied through his teeth, forcing a smile as Morgan announced his engagement to the Spencer lookalike to the team. Everyone murmured along the same lines, and Morgan smiles brilliantly "So, when is the ceremony?"

"Two months, we're having it down in LA, Ryan's good with all the planning things,"

"Well," Emily cut's in brightly "Since we're announcing things, Doctor Reid has something to announce too,"

Spencer frowned at her "What? No I don't."

"Yeah you do," Emily nudged him "Tell them about it!"

Spencer rolled his eyes at her, but couldn't help the flush of pleasure at her excitement "I thought we were gonna wait for an official letter-"

"Screw the official letter!" Emily beamed, turning to the rest of the team "Our boy genius over here has been nominated for a Nobel Prize of Mathematics!"

"Woah! Spence!" JJ clapped her hands "That's amazing!"

Hotch laughed "Imagine the job offers you're gonna get after that,"

Rossi rolled his eyes "Please, he's been getting weekly job offers since he started at the BAU,"

Spencer beamed at the praise "I was actually going to invite you all to the nomination ceremony, it's all being announced this Thursday, I have seats for all of you,"

"Is Ethan coming?" JJ teased. Morgan frowned

"Who's Ethan?"

"Spencer's lover-boy," Garcia giggled with glee, Morgan but his tongue, nodding. He watched Spencer, unsure what to make of it all. "Well, is he coming?"

"I think so," Spencer flushed again "I hope you like him,"

"How could we not?" Hotch asked gently "He's with you,"

Morgan didn't miss the double meaning.

...  
...  
...

3 MONTHS LATER

Everyone was asleep on the jet, all apart from Hotch and Morgan who sat opposite each other, just adjacent to where Spencer lay stretched out along the sofa, snoring softly. Hotch smiled gently "Look at him, a Nobel Prize winner, and he stills wears odd socks," Morgan smiled gently, Hotch looked up "You called off the wedding with Ryan,"

"I know,"

"Wanna talk about it?"

"No thanks, Hotch,"

"Alright," Hotch sighed "Are you gonna tell me something that's been bugging me for a long time," he licked his lips "Why did you cheat on him?" his voice wasn't judgemental, just honestly curious, Spencer was now happy with Ethan, they'd moved into Ethan's apartment together, "I mean...he adored you. He would have done anything for you if you had just asked," he stared at Reid "I can't imagine the intimacy was a problem, the first few weeks of your relationship I couldn't pry you away from each other long enough to get a word in edgewise,"

Morgan smiled fondly at the memory "I guess...you know me Hotch, commitment, was never...it was my first time, and I shouldn't have tried it with Reid, he was my best friend. I...fuck, I don't know. But Ryan was just so willing, and so desperate for it, and I wanted someone who would want me more. More than anything, but Spencer...he was balancing work, his mother and me all together, and I was selfish. Maybe I thought it was a good way to get his attention, I don't know. All I know is that I would do anything, anything in the whole world to go back to when we first started dating. I wouldn't make a single mistake,"

Hotch nodded, leaning back in his chair "He and Ethan are going to get married eventually, Derek. And I don't want you to get in the way, I don't want you to say you love him, or say you regret it, I want you to say that you're happy for him, and I want you to let him move on,"

Morgan swallowed harshly "Okay," he whispered "I'll be throwing away any chance I ever get of happiness, but okay."

Hotch patted his elbow softly "I'm sorry Derek, sometimes things don't work out,"

Spencer's voice drifted over to them; "But sometimes they do," and he shot Morgan a smile filled with forgiveness and hope.

**Author's Note:**

> Please leave Comments!  
> x


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